The main goal of the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Carbohydrates is to bring together a diverse group of scientists who work in the broad area of "glycoscience", a term that, loosely speaking, refers to the fields of carbohydrate chemistry, carbohydrate biochemistry, glycobiology and medicine. This meeting, like those held in previous years, will involve individuals with a range of experience, ranging from well-established senior investigators to newcomers to the field, including junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. The meeting will have talks organized into six focus areas in nine sessions. Full day symposia on synthetic carbohydrate chemistry, glycobiology will anchor the meeting and half-day symposia on carbohydrate structure, carbohydrates in industry, renewable resources, junior glycoscientists and glycoengineering, will fill out the program. Compared to other meetings in the glycoscience area, the GRC on Carbohydrates differs in that it does not focus on a single class of glycoconjugate nor even a single area of the broader field. Carbohydrates are of prime importance for the development of therapeutic agents (e.g. heparin), diagnostics (e.g. carbohydrate biomarkers for cancer) and as vaccines (bacterial and parasitic vaccines). As such, carbohydrates are moving from basic science to applications in the medical arena. Therefore, a conference that brings basic scientists together with representatives from industry and medical institutions is an important forum to facilitate advances in the field. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Carbohydrates are important components of vaccines, therapeutic agents and diagnostics. A detailed, molecular understanding is of crucial importance to fuel translational research. This conference brings scientists from very different backgrounds together.